Shloka 81

युधिष्ठिरस्य धनंजय-प्रति गर्हा

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Reproach to Dhanaṃjaya

Devanagari script

तथा वर्तति संग्रामे गजवाजिनरक्षये

Transliteration

tathā vartati saṅgrāme gajavājinarakṣaye

Translation

Sañjaya said: Thus the battle continued in that very form—an onslaught that brought destruction upon elephants, horses, and men. From the bodies of men, horses, and elephants a river of blood began to flow, carrying along within it the countless corpses of elephants, horses, and warriors that lay fallen.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वर्तति: goes on, proceeds, continues
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Lat, present, 3, singular, Atmanepada

• संग्रामे: in the battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• गजवाजिनरक्षये: for the destruction of elephants, horses, and men
• गजवाजिनरक्षये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-वाजि-नर-क्षय
• Form: masculine, dative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• battlefield (saṅgrāma)
• elephants (gaja)
• horses (vāji)
• men/warriors (nara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical and human cost of war: when conflict escalates, it consumes all—men and animals alike—revealing the impermanence of life and the tragic consequences of unchecked violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battle intensifying into wholesale slaughter. The imagery of a river of blood carrying numerous corpses conveys the scale of devastation among elephants, horses, and warriors.